dooner1
asked on
win98 doesn't boot!
The error message is:
Explorer
This program has performed an illegal operation & will be shut down. Contact program vendor.
When the window is closed the desktop will not come up.
When you use ctrl alt del, close program Mdm window comes up. When you end task, the desktop will not come up.
The message comes up everytime the computer restarts.
Explorer
This program has performed an illegal operation & will be shut down. Contact program vendor.
When the window is closed the desktop will not come up.
When you use ctrl alt del, close program Mdm window comes up. When you end task, the desktop will not come up.
The message comes up everytime the computer restarts.
ASKER
never attempted a reinstall of win98. how do you boot in safe mode (thought that was only NT)?
On most machines you can get the boot menu by tapping the F8 key as the computer is first booting up, on a few you may need to do the same with the Ctrl key.
Do you have a Win98 disk or only a recovery disk?
Rayt333 is correct, Hit F8 when "Starting Windows 98" appears and you will get a boot menu, where you can choose safe mode..
My advice to you, is this:
Hit F8 when "Starting Windows 98" appears and you will get a boot menu. In here choose "Dos prompt only".
Type this command and hit Enter:
SCANREG /RESTORE
In the program choose a date prior, as to when this started happening, and Windows will replace the registry with a version of that date. When finished, reboot and see if the problem has gone.
Hope this helps
Tonny
My advice to you, is this:
Hit F8 when "Starting Windows 98" appears and you will get a boot menu. In here choose "Dos prompt only".
Type this command and hit Enter:
SCANREG /RESTORE
In the program choose a date prior, as to when this started happening, and Windows will replace the registry with a version of that date. When finished, reboot and see if the problem has gone.
Hope this helps
Tonny
I agree with tonnybrandt if it's been less than 5 days. You might have to type:
cd\windows\command
Then type scanreg/restore.
Or if you get into safe mode, got o Start>Run, type msconfig, click the startup tab and uncheck machne Debug Manager.
Or Hit F8 on startup, and choose Command Prompt. Type edit c:\windows\system.ini Under
[boot] Change
shell=;Explorer.exe
shell=progman.exe
If Program manager loads go to File>Run, type msconfig, go to the Startup tab and uncheck everything.
Either go back and change system.ini to the original or if you're comfortable using File manager, you can type Winfile under the File>Run and check your configuration files.
To open autoexec.bat, you go to the root of C: drive, highlight it, choose Run from the file menu and type notepad autoexec.bat
Hopefully this will get you back in.
reghakr
cd\windows\command
Then type scanreg/restore.
Or if you get into safe mode, got o Start>Run, type msconfig, click the startup tab and uncheck machne Debug Manager.
Or Hit F8 on startup, and choose Command Prompt. Type edit c:\windows\system.ini Under
[boot] Change
shell=;Explorer.exe
shell=progman.exe
If Program manager loads go to File>Run, type msconfig, go to the Startup tab and uncheck everything.
Either go back and change system.ini to the original or if you're comfortable using File manager, you can type Winfile under the File>Run and check your configuration files.
To open autoexec.bat, you go to the root of C: drive, highlight it, choose Run from the file menu and type notepad autoexec.bat
Hopefully this will get you back in.
reghakr
What hardware changes have you made? '>)...T
Hi,
A repair of Internet Explorer may solve this.
In AddRemove Programs in Control Panel choose Microsoft Internet Explorer xxx, click remove then choose repair.
Or
"CAUSE
This behavior can occur if the Microsoft Windows 95 version of the Explorer.exe file is located in the root folder of drive C.
RESOLUTION
WINDOWS 98
In Windows 98, boot the computer to Safe Mode Command Prompt.
For more information about how to boot your computer to safe mode, please see the following article.
Q180902 How to Start a Windows 98-Based Computer in Safe Mode
Type the following at the prompt: ren c:\explorer.exe explorer.old
Press ENTER.
Reboot the computer"
Found here
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q191/6/09.ASP?LN=EN-US&SD=gn&FR=0&qry=explorer%20illegal%20operation%20Contact%20program%20vendor&rnk=4&src=DHCS_MSPSS_gn_SRCH&SPR=W98
Longbow
A repair of Internet Explorer may solve this.
In AddRemove Programs in Control Panel choose Microsoft Internet Explorer xxx, click remove then choose repair.
Or
"CAUSE
This behavior can occur if the Microsoft Windows 95 version of the Explorer.exe file is located in the root folder of drive C.
RESOLUTION
WINDOWS 98
In Windows 98, boot the computer to Safe Mode Command Prompt.
For more information about how to boot your computer to safe mode, please see the following article.
Q180902 How to Start a Windows 98-Based Computer in Safe Mode
Type the following at the prompt: ren c:\explorer.exe explorer.old
Press ENTER.
Reboot the computer"
Found here
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q191/6/09.ASP?LN=EN-US&SD=gn&FR=0&qry=explorer%20illegal%20operation%20Contact%20program%20vendor&rnk=4&src=DHCS_MSPSS_gn_SRCH&SPR=W98
Longbow
ASKER
I've tried all of the above but with no luck!
Even reinstalling Win98 ???
ASKER
I was hoping to avoid reinstalling. It seems as though if it's only Explorer that's corrupt, reinstalling is a bit drastic. I'm trying to help a friend resolve this remotely, and I don't have access to the machine, so for her to reinstall might be too much. I'll have her take it to a local tech place -- thanks for all your help anyway.
reinstalling over top of itself is not hard to do and will not cause you to lose any installed programs.
This takes about an hour to do, how much time have you already wasted? What do you think the computer store is going to do?
This takes about an hour to do, how much time have you already wasted? What do you think the computer store is going to do?
ASKER
true, but I'm not sure I can walk her through it remotely. If the machine won't boot at all, or using safe mode only, does it recognize the hard drive?
Yes it does, otherwise it wouldn't start at all, and a reinstall over the previous installation is not hard to do at all. The only time that you need to do anything is when it come and ask you where to install. It will default to something like C:\windows.001 and this has to be changed to c:\windows.
One other thing that can be a problem, is if you have an oem version of the windows 98 cd. Some of these will not install if an OS is installed already on the HD. If this happens follow these steps to bypass the detection:
When "starting windows 98" appears when starting the computer, hit F8 and choose "Command Prompt only".
Type
rename c:\windows\win.com c:\windows\win.bak
and hit Enter.
Now reboot and the installation process will not detect the installed windows 98.
One other thing that can be a problem, is if you have an oem version of the windows 98 cd. Some of these will not install if an OS is installed already on the HD. If this happens follow these steps to bypass the detection:
When "starting windows 98" appears when starting the computer, hit F8 and choose "Command Prompt only".
Type
rename c:\windows\win.com c:\windows\win.bak
and hit Enter.
Now reboot and the installation process will not detect the installed windows 98.
ASKER
so we restart the machine in safe mode, insert the win98 CD snd type something like e:\setup.exe ?
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ASKER
I'll accept this as the answer.
thanks
thanks
Rayt333: could you have a look here:
https://www.experts-exchange.com/jsp/qManageQuestion.jsp?ta=win98&qid=20170340
dooner1: Glad you got your problem solved.
Regards
Tonny
https://www.experts-exchange.com/jsp/qManageQuestion.jsp?ta=win98&qid=20170340
dooner1: Glad you got your problem solved.
Regards
Tonny
You could try booting up into Safe mode and run SFC (System File Checker) and see if it finds and replaces any corputed files.